Vishakha Negi ‘13EE Co-editor in Chief

Singaporeanflagshang down the perimeter of the cafeteriaandseniorlounge.ThispastFebruary,studentsdeckedoutincolorfulclothinghandedeachotherredenvelopesfullofmoneytowelcometheChineseNewYear.Thenewmascot–themightydragon–isallsettore-placetheeaglestartingthisfall. ThisisTrumbullHighinthemiddleofahugetransi-tion:theschooladministrationisproudtoannouncethatTHSwillbeshiftingitscampustoSinga-poreAcademyofHighSchoolstartinginthe2013-2014schoolyear,andhasalreadybegunmakingpreliminarychangestotheschoolenvironment.Trum-

bullHighretainsitsnameandmissionstatement;however,itnowworksinconjunctionwiththeadministrationandstaffatSAHS,asaresultoftheCulturalExchangeandEducationAct. Inlightofthequestionssequestrationraisedregardingeducationfundinginthefuture,CongresssignedintoenactmenttheCEEA,whichcompensatesschoolsintheirendeavorstoout-sourcethemselvestoothertop-performinginternationalacad-emiesinSingaporeandafewothernations.SaysCongressmanErichCantatore,“Thisisagreatopportunityforstudentstoex-plorethelanguageandtraditionsofanotherculturewhilebeingprovidedwiththesamequal-ityofeducation.Astrongworldviewisimportanttoshapehigh

schoolgraduates’futures.Andbysheerluck,CEEAturnsouttobeagreatopportunityforustostrengtheneconomictieswithSingapore.” Sofar,forTrumbullHigh,theCEEAhasproventhatmomentousstridesareunderway. “Thisisamazing,”saysCaussTic,presidentofthestudentcouncil.“Theentirecur-riculumhasbeenchanged.I’mtakingIntrotoJavarightnow–it’saremedialclass–butmaybeI’llgetbumpeduptoAdvancedProgrammingnextyear.” Indeed,thestyleofeducationhaschangedTHS.SingaporeanteachersfromTheAcademyhavepromisedtomakesubstantial“adjustments”.SaysacloseconfidantofSingaporeAcademyofHighSchoolPrin-

Outsourcing education results in cultural exchange

EverynightwhenIgotobed,Ilookforwardtohear-ingtheshrilltonesofmyalarmwhenIwakeearlyinthemorn-ing.Themoonisstillbright.Thesunwon’tshineforhours. ItisalwaysfuntosetmyalarmknowingIhavetowakeupatsixa.m.orearliertocatchthebus.Fivea.m.ifIwantbreakfast. Gettingtoschoolisonlythestartofthefun.Everyday,afterschool,Igostraighttowork.Afterwork,Ibalancetimebetweenworkingout,trainingforsports,andgettingallofmyhomeworkdone.Ibarelyhaveanytimetogetallofthiscompletedandgettobedbeforemidnight. EventhoughIhaveallthistodo,I’msurethattheel-ementaryschoolkidshavemuchmorethattheyhavetogetdoneaftertheirschoolday.Itmusttakealotoftimetofinishtheyalphabetortocolorbetweenthelines. Highschoolstudents,asopposedtoelementarystudents,havesignificantteststhatcanbeworthhalfourgrade,300slidePowerPointpresentations,and

20pageessaystowrite.Still,it’sobviousthattheyoungerkidsareprobablyjustasstressedoutasus. Itseemsjustalittleunfairthattheelementaryschoolstudentsgettosleepinandarrivelaterthaneveryoneelse.Theyhavetheleastamountofhome-workandlessactivitiestodoafterschool. Thehighschoolstu-dentsthatparticipateinafterschoolactivitiesorsportsmaynotgethomeuntilsixorsevenp.m..Thisallowsverylittletimefinishalloftheworkthatteach-ersassign. Iswishingforafewmoreminutesorhoursofsleepeachnighttoomuchtoaskfor?Withjustanextrahourtosleep,allstudentswouldbemoreawakeandreadytolearn. Researchfindsthatlackofsleepcancauseworsegradesalongwithbehaviorissues.Acontinuouslackofsleepcanalsocausehealthproblemssuchasdiabetes,obesity,heartdiseaseanddepression. Ifofficialscontinuetostartschoolatthesametimeitcurrentlystartat,thinkofallthefutureproblems. Studentswouldalsobemorefocusedthroughoutthe

Waking up early causes student to feel tired Andrew Ameer ‘13EE Staff Writer

Fleagle’s FlyApril1,2013IssueNo.4

cipalEugeneFitzherbert,“Mr.FitzherbertisgladthatTHSandSAHSareattheforefrontofpio-neeringineducation.HecannotwaittomeetstudentsandstaffmembersfromTHS.” Thispastweek,studentstookworkshopsrelatingtoSin-gaporeanrulesandetiquette. “GumisnotsoldinSingapore,”saidspecialCulturalInfusioninstructorBeatrixKiddoassheswitchedslidesduringoneofherclasses.ThepictureonscreenwasthatofaseeminglyinnocuouspackofWrigley’s.“However,youmaybringalittleintothecountry.Justdon’tspititonthestreet.Ithinkfinescangoupto$1000.” Studentsnoddedandscribbledcopiousnotes.MarjorieWelsh,asenior,raisedherhand

toaskaboutthefinesregardingspittingonthestreet. “Goodquestion–Ithinkthatfallsunderthecat-egoryofspittingingeneral,”Ms.Kiddosaidassheswitchedslides. “Thistransitionperiod,betweenmobilizingintoaschoolatthebrinkofglobalizationandactuallymovingtoSingapore,iscrucialtoshapingtheirminds,”sheaddedafterclass.“TheCEEAisagreatcatalystforthis.Itjustsohappenstobethatthisalsosolvessomebudgetissuesandstrengthenseconomicties.Ithinkthat’sprettyefficient.Asforthetradedeficit…Ithinkit’sa[good]concern.”

entireschoolday.Moststudentsstruggletostayawakethrough-outthedaybecauseoftheextremelyearlytimetheyhavetowakeupat.Nowisthetimetosleepin.

High school students often feel tired due to lack of sleep. Starting the school day later might be one way to address the issue. Photo courtesy of byuinde-pendentstudy.blogspot.com

EaglE’s EyEThe

Trumbull High school - 72 strobel Road - Trumbull, CT 06611April 1, 2013 Issue No. 4

Inside this Issue

Opinions News EntertainmentFeatures

4

Lifestyle

11

Sports

76 92

Kevin Pacelli ‘14 EE Entertainment Editor

Audiences are crazy for this year’s musical

Year after year, the talented young thespians of Trumbull High put on a show that wows their peers, teachers and community at the start of spring. This year’s musical, “Crazy For You,” was certainly no exception. The musical tells the story of an aspiring dancer by the name of Bobby Child. When he travels to the western town of Deadrock, Nevada, he is immediately drawn to Polly Baker, the only woman in all of Deadrock. And as most romantic stories go, things get complicated, to say the least. De-ception, jealousy and anger all run rampant in Deadrock as the story progresses further and further until reaching its happy ending. The story itself is certainly enough to keep audiences enter-tained, but the show really shined through the performance. The mu-sic, sung by the cast and accom-panied by a small orchestra, was originally written by the famous George and Ira Gershwin. It’s a very fun soundtrack, with well-

written lyrics and choruses that kept feet tapping throughout the audience. The musicians loved the music just as much as the crowd did, and it really showed. “I always look forward to the show because I want to play the music. I think that more than any-thing else is what gives everybody the energy to make the show as fantastic as it is,” says sophomore Eric Eisdorfer, who played clari-net, bass clarinet and tenor saxo-phone in the orchestra. “To be able to play music from the Gershwins in an amazing show like this was truly a brilliant experience.” Eric wasn’t the only Trumbull High School student in the or-chestra. Other members included juniors Hunter Sigona, Christo-pher Corda and Shaun Rimkunas. Seeing familiar faces playing the music for the show definitely added to the experience for THS students in the audience. While the musical accompani-ment was very impressive and fun to listen to, it definitely did not take away from what was hap-pening on stage. Seniors Gabby Gottschall and Matt Johnson were phenomenal in their respec-

tive lead roles of Polly Baker and Bobby Child, while a strong cast of exceptional supporting actors and actresses included sopho-more Nick Grew, juniors Morgan Fried, Dan Satter, Casey Walsh, Juli Ilea, Michel Grischuck and Jackie Sheehan, and seniors Ryan McEniry and Alex Allyn. Some of the dance numbers in “Crazy For You” were really un-like anything that Trumbull High has done in recent years. The most notable change was the addition of tap dancing, but the tap dancing numbers were performed with such expertise that an outsider would have no idea this was a new undertaking for THS musicals. Several of these numbers were led by Matt Johnson, who has had experience with tap dancing in productions of “Godspell” and “Anything Goes” outside of THS. However, even for him it was a unique experience. “You can say this is the first production I really understand everything that the taps are do-ing,” says Matt. When asked about those cast members who were tap dancing for the first time, he ex-plained that they had little trouble

taking on the new style with the help of the talented staff. “Frank and Abby Root, the wonderful daughter and choreographer duo, certainly understand how to play on other’s strengths. They get us to work hard, but it results in a great product where each person has the ability to express what he/she is

stronger at.” While the new concept of tap dancing may have seemed risky, it certainly paid off in “Crazy For You.” Time will tell what the future has in store for THS musicals, but until then, one thing is certain: Trumbull High kids got rhythm!

Did you say cacti? Two cacti don this year’s play flyer, representing Deadrock, Nevada.

Below: In a stunning finale, more than 70 cast members shine under the stage lights.

The Eagle’s EyeThe Eagle’s Eye is the official student-run publication of Trum-bull High School. The views expressed in the commentary are the opinion of the majority of the editors. All other opinions are solely those of the authors and do not represent the views of The Eagle’s Eye.

As journalists, the members of The Eagle’s Eye staff are committed to upholding the core of our code of ethics: objectivity, integrity, and truth.

Letters Policy: This paper is an outlet for the student voice. We would love to hear your thoughts and opinions about the paper or articles published. If you wish to write a letter to an editor, it must be signed and placed in Ms. Acerbo’s B-House Mailbox.

The Eagle’s Eye reserves the right to edit all letters published.

Trumbull High School72 Strobel Rd. 203.452.4555Trumbull, CT. 06611 203.452.4593 (fax)

Brittany KubickoAlison KuznitzEditors-in-Chief

Jesse Rubinstein Chris Rzasa

Managing Editors

Michelle HesseLisa Carbone

Senior News Editors

Lia HoryczunKira Littlejohn

Senior Opinions Editors

Tina DeluciaPennie Bellios

Opinions Editors

Keri CrossleyPaulina Howard

Senior Lifestyle Editors

Rachel GeorgeKristina VetterLifestyle Editor

Morgan RegentEmily Antos

Senior Features Editors

Alyssa BreunigSenior Sports Editor

Andrew Ameer Sports Editor

Lauren CiullaMolly Denstedt

Senior Entertainment Editors

Mrs. AcerboMrs. Pacelli

Advisors

Gabby Tropp ‘13EE Staff Writer

2 OpinionsThe Eagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

On TV we see students going to high school with their laptops on hand to take notes, doing class work, and further exploring classroom learning. Do inappropriate things sometimes happen? Yes, but that does not mean students bringing their own technology to school wouldn’t be beneficial for most students. Doing research projects, writing essays, and completing tests could be infinitely easier with Internet access in the classrooms and the ability to type in class. In fact, already this year some teachers allowed students to bring

Bring your own devicein laptops to type their midterm essays. Mr. Smith’s ninth grade English class had the choice to write their midterm by hand or to type it. Some of the students who did type found it made it easier to get out all their ideas. This would be hard to do if everyone in the class decided to bring in their lap-tops, because each paper had to be saved to a flashdrive and printed, but THS is already changing to accommodate test-taking like this. School-wide WIFI is already being installed to enable every classroom Internet access. Teachers are currently testing the school’s WIFI network to see how well it withstands a lot of use.

There may be a few problems that needed to be debugged, but THS is well on the way to a school that offers a BYOD policy. This plan has the full support of students and staff such as Mrs. Pacelli, a technology spe-cialist. She agrees that laptops and tablets can enrich the learning experience in a classroom. Students who write slow-ly may be able to keep up with note-taking in class more easily, and online supplements to the curriculum will be more easily accessible. She said teachers will be able to choose whether or not their classes will use technology, so this plan will just make BYOD a possibility. At this point the only

Lia Horyczun ‘16 Kira Littlejohn ‘16EE Staff Writers

Clothing is one way for people to express him or herself. That sweatshirt with cute sayings, that red bandana, and even a hat shows each person’s style. What happens if that freedom is lim-ited? Looking at the dress codes, THS students and teachers both have to consider what is appropri-ate and appealing.

Opinions about fashion are everywhere, just look and listen in your halls. “Ewww. Look at those shoes. Yellow doesn’t look good on her. What’s up with the new hairstyle? How short are those shorts?” The question is what should the dress code cover?

Every student carries around a small agenda pad. On page 33, it states the dress code. There should be no tank tops, hal-ter tops, spaghetti straps, muscle shirts or see-through clothing.

Ashley Osterberg, THS freshman, says, “Yes. I say yes to a dress code of some sort because without a dress code, people would dress like slobs.”

Jason Romano, another freshman, agreed, “ I think it [dress codes] should be, but not to the point where it becomes ridiculous.”

Jeremy Friedler, THS fresh-man and Beth Bolton, sophomore, say, no to any type of uniform.

Bolton states, “No. It’s ridiculous to be ruled by a school uniform. There’s no point in a school uniform. If there was a school uniform it would be a colored shirt and slacks.”

Mr. Pijar, Dean of the THS students has a different opinion. “Yes, yes, yes. Huge fan of school uniforms.” He went on to say, “I think the school needs to be iden-

Students’ thoughts on the dress codetified, and students don’t have to worry about what to wear. If there was a uniform it would be casual pants and polo shirts.”

However, everyone loves to feel free with unrestrictive cloth-ing when it’s hot out. Too much clothing makes a person sweat and feel gross.

Joey Walsh, THS freshman, says in summer time, the dress code could be relaxed. Clothes could be “...somewhat revealing. Girls should wear something on top to erase the revealing image. Yes, it (the dress code) ensures that the shorts are appropriate.”

THS teacher, Mrs. Boland, says, “Not really for tank tops in general but spaghetti straps are too revealing,“ Then she adds on about the benefit of the fingertip rule and that it should be used to ensure appropriate length of shorts and skirts.

Look down at your feet. Do comfy, practical shoes cover your

feet? The minute you step inside of THS borders, footwear is re-quired. But what does that mean to students and teachers? Additional questions asked were,“Should there be a shoes rule, are hats ideal,

and do you think it’s mandatory to wear a coat to school?”

Jeremy Friedler, a fresh-man, says, “Any shoe should be allowed, but at your own risk. I think hats would be acceptable as long as there is no profanity on them. This is important so that no one is offended by any profanity or racial slurs. There should also be no gang colors.”

Jason Romano, a freshman, on the other hand says, “In the sci-ence room the shoe rule makes a lot of sense, because it’s a safety issue. Hats are not an issue.”

Romano continued, “This is a case where the decision should be left to the person, not the school. People should be free in a way that they feel comfortable with.”

Mrs. Boland, a teacher, says, “The shoe depends on if they’re good shoes and functional. For hats, kids wouldn’t wear hats to work, so there should be a hat

policy. I don’t think there should be a mandatory jacket rule. It’s not up to the school what happens outside of school.”

Both students and teachers seem to agree that a dress code is important to life in high school.

Each student wants to be safe and that it is a fact that all students should feel comfortable with the school dress code. Still, students do not want a strict dress code because it would take away their freedom of expressing themselves.

In the end, having a good sense of how to express yourself while wearing an appropriate amount of clothing is the key to making a great impression on all students and teachers in Trumbull High.

worry is how to control students’ Internet access to restrict inap-propriate behavior. This problem can eas-ily be resolved putting the same restrictions that are in place on school computers on the WIFI network. Social media sites like Facebook will not be available for students to use, but this is a small price to pay for a huge advance in the educational quality at THS. Clearly, any reservations teachers have about implementing this policy are easily solved prob-lems. BYOD would be a great way to improve THS.

Photo courtesy of pcworld.co.uk

Taylor Anne Turcheck sports an outfit demonstrating her unique style . Photo courtesy of Kira Littlejohn

Opinions 3Alison Kuznitz ‘15EE Senior Opinions Editor

The Eagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

Personal fitness: An elective beneficial to the entire student body

Morgan Regent ‘16EE Staff Writer

Alyssa pulls out her phone in class and almost instantly the teacher exclaims, “Put that away right now or I will take it!” The typical response to this would be some sort of excuse from the student as to why the phone is out. However, excuses only work on rare occasions. Then class continues with cell-phones out of sight. Today, technology is used most everywhere you go. The classroom is no exception. It seems as if Apple products, such as iPhones and iPads, are taking over our world. For years, teachers and administra-tors have tried to ban these elec-tronic devices from the class-room, specifically cell phones. They have been said to be distractions to students and have been viewed as a detriment to the learning environment. Despite these valid argu-ments, cell phones could also be

a significant benefit to learning. With today’s latest technologies, cell phones provide students with new ways to excel in school by using educational applications. Is it time for Trumbull High School to embrace the new technological way of the world? “I think that cell phones are beneficial because there are many applications that can be used for educational purposes. They can be a distraction to those who decide to text during class; however the poor choices of those few students should not affect the student body as a whole,” said Kherigan Jones, a student at Trumbull High School, who agrees that cell phones can be helpful in our learning atmo-sphere. Technology has made much advancement throughout the past years, and these high-tech changes allow people to do things that they never have before, such as using the Internet on the go or creating remind-ers. These applications could

aid students greatly. Cell phones provide students with a wide variety of educational utilities. Just to name a few other benefits, using cell phones can be a more engaging way for students to find information rather than listening to traditional lectures. Furthermore, students can take notes on notepads during class, thus notes are accessible anywhere they go. Useful apps to help with math have been created by companies such as Infinite Thinking Machine and there are applications to help you study languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, French, Mandarin, and more. Instead of playing Angry Birds, now students can review for language classes when they have a few minutes to spare. While some administrators view cell phones as a distraction to students, the positives of cell phone use in the classroom might outweigh the negatives. “Cell phones can be used in class; however, it depends on how it is enforced. It also

depends on how the teacher structures the lesson so that the students can be engaged in the lesson, but there must be rules in place so that the privilege of us-ing cell phones in the classroom do not get abused,” said, Mrs. Slais, a Spanish teacher here at THS. Cell phones provide students with a plethora of apps that can greatly assist them in school. It is time for Trumbull High School to adopt some additional high-tech ways.

Time for an upgrade at THS? The technology debate

In addition to these traditional PE classes, a new option will be available in the in upcoming school year. Photo courtesy of Sydney Sheehan.

What if students were able to pull up information for a project on their iPhones/iPads, or complete an assignment on Edmodo at any given moment? Photo courtesy of Apple Inc.

Trumbull High School is enhancing and diversifying the physical education cur-riculum. Next year, a new gym elective known as Personal Fitness will be available to all students. It will be an alterna-tive to the regular PE class currently offered. This class can be beneficial to students who do not consider themselves athletic, yet enjoy activities such as yoga, Pilates, and utilizing the weight room. Additionally, Personal Fitness can be geared towards students with medical conditions that prevent them from partici-pating in the normal physical education class. Gym is a mandatory graduation requirement for all students at Trumbull High School and students must earn 1.75 PE and health credits. In the past, Personal Fitness had been a part of the gym curricu-lum. However, due to construc-tion and lack of space and supervision, this class was not recently possible. Fortunately, this is no longer the case as long as enough students express interest in the class. “We are going to try to see how we can implement this into our new regime… It was

not something that was feasible, actually, because of the fact of construction,” said Mr. Zinser, Physical Education Department Chair. This class will be ef-fective since students receive constant supervision and instruc-tion from a teacher. Under the current sys-tem, small groups of students are sometimes allowed to do aerobic activities in the hallway directly outside of the gym-nasium instead of playing the planned sport with the rest of the class, but students do not obtain the maximum experience since their gym teacher must walk back and forth between the gym and the hallway for the duration of class. Dr. Tremaglio stated the purpose of gym class is, “To do skill enhancement, introduce different activities, and increase awareness.” Some students, particu-larly those who are not ath-letic and who do not find sports

enjoyable, may dread attending gym class in order to earn their necessary credits. Consequently, Personal Fitness would act as a great alternative for these students looking to improve their ultimate gym experience.

“I would love to take this class because yoga is a great way to relieve stress from the day, all the while toning your body. In the future, I feel it would be beneficial if kick-boxing were added to the gym curriculum as an option for us to take,” said sophomore Paulina Howard who is excited about this elective. Moreover, some students, depending on their medical conditions, cannot be placed into situations like gym class where there is the possibil-

ity of re-injury. With Personal Fitness, though, this concern is significantly reduced. There-fore, injured students can most certainly take advantage of this new elective due to its aerobic exercises and less physically demanding curriculum. Currently, students

make up physi-cal education if they are excused for an extended period of time by doubling up on gym classes and/or taking gym in their senior year. The

new Personal Fitness class provides an opportunity

for students to earn their credits without worrying about re-injury and having to make up credits in the future. Addition-ally, injured students can view Personal Fitness as a temporary option to physically prepare them for reentry into the regu-lar gym class. Katie Dunn, a junior, could have used this elective as a valuable tool in transitioning into PE after tearing her right and left ACL and meniscus. “I do wish there was a class I could have taken that would

help strengthen my knees during my recoveries. Now I take gym everyday throughout my senior year while all of my friends can take other classes. If there were specialized trainers that could help get injured students back in gym or sports it would be helpful because going to physi-cal therapy twice a week is not enough.” “I can honestly say most of the injuries aren’t from physical education…I don’t look at physical education as being an unsafe place,” Mr. Zinser said. Both he and Dr. Tremaglio would like to empha-size that gym class is a very safe environment with minimal risks involved. They also wished to point out that PE is essentially non-contact, whereas sports such as football and lacrosse would be considered contact. All-in-all, Personal Fitness is an excellent new option that accommodates students with different interests, medical conditions, and injuries.

4 NewsThe Eagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

Keri Crossley‘15EE Staff Writer

Michelle Hesse ‘14EE Staff Writer

“Keif the Beast” performing at Ring Dance

Below: English teacher Keif Doyle will provide the music for the annual sophomore Ring Dance this Spring.

Contributed photo.

School dances. It is a time when everyone can get to-gether and have fun as an entire grade. The Ring Dance is an activity that most sophomores look forward too. It is a time to celebrate the end of the school year while dancing the night away with friends and peers. Every year, one of the main components of the Ring Dance is the music. Some years, the disc jockey’s performance is remembered for making the dance more or less of a success. If the music is not recent enough or does not make students want to dance, the dance may let down the student population. “The music was horrible. The DJ didn’t play anything we liked. It was old music and ruined the entire experience,” said Emili Antos, a senior at THS, showing how much the DJ can change the atmosphere of an event.

High Schoolers are known to be picky when it comes to music. There are hundreds of different styles that exist and can be featured at dances. Particularly, many students have become inter-ested in electronic dance music or EDM for short. The DJ that is perform-ing will often play a continuous stream of music called a set that can include their own creations as well as remixes of songs already produced. It is a style of music evoking strong emotions, while also making teens want to dance. Mr. Doyle, an English teacher at Trumbull High School, as well as an outspoken DJ, is the one performing at the ring dance. “It’s going to be out of control. Mostly New York and Miami style music with tons of equipment to make it even better,” said Mr. Doyle when asked what sophomores have to look forward to at the dance. The equipment being referred to are turntables and

computer software used to create the music. Mr. Doyle, also known as his DJ name Keif the Beast, has been an avid follower of electronic dance music since his years in the army. “I’ve heard that the music is either a hit or miss. I hope Mr.

Doyle does a really good job and plays the right kind of music,” said sophomore Jen Gomes. Sophomores have high expectations on the music. The sophomores have been anticipating this day since the beginning of the year and hopefully Mr. Doyle can

help make this year’s ring dance a memorable experience for every-one who attends.

Student safety is a top priority After the tragedy in Newtown, many parents, admin-istrators, and students questioned safety in their own schools. Im-mediately following, students saw major changes such as lockdown drills, more security at the doors, and an addition of police officers around the perimeter. While the additions made students feel bet-ter, how does a person or com-munity know how much security is enough? In light of the Newtown shooting, many school districts across Connecticut started to up-grade security procedures, looking over emergency plans and inform-ing students of cautions they need to take. On the Trumbull High website in the Dean’s Corner, it says, “We continue to discuss, upgrade, and enhance our security procedures here at THS.” “Across the board, ev-eryone is more security-minded.

We’ve got more doors locked down, trying to control more points off access,” said Ralph Deluca, a Trumbull High security guard. One security upgrade involved points of entry. There are now only two doors open during the school day, and people posted at each door. Still, there is only so much a school can do without causing chaos or making the students feel watched all the time. Students like their freedom, but with recent events, they also want to feel as safe as possible. “It’s kind of inconvenient that there’s only one door open, where we have to show ID. At the same time, we all expected more security after what happened. I think we all feel more secure now,” said Dan Delucia. “I felt pretty safe and never questioned my safety be-fore, but after Newtown happened I did start to question it,” said Trumbull High School junior, Erin Grady.

We continue to discuss, upgrade, and enhance

our security procedures...

Terry Mooney and Ralph DeLuca are both an integral part of the security team.

5NewsThe Eagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

Titan Challenge DECA dominates

Corrie MaClean ‘14Katie Herndon ‘14EE Special Correspondents

The Titan Challenge is a virtual online business simulation for high school students. During game play, students run a manu-facturing company and make key business decisions on the price of product, production levels, marketing expenses, research and development costs, capital invest-ment level, and charitable giving.

On Wednesday February 27, 2013, eighteen members of the THS Honors Marketing program made the trip to the Aqua Turf Club to compete with Connecti-cut’s best Marketing and DECA students. The day consisted of many nerve racking hours of waiting around with more than 1200 student representatives from various high schools. Each individual or team was assigned a specific event and spent the day testing their apti-tude with topics such as business operations, business management, entrepreneurship and business ad-ministration. The competition was very arduous. All the participants had to put themselves in assigned roles with little time to prepare. For example, one team represented a management team

and resolve a conflict that manage-ment might encounter in the real world. Shortly after the role plays were concluded, there was entertainment with a hypnotist and, later, an awards ceremony. Nothing was more up-lifting that to see THS students’ excitement when they were an-nounced in second place for the State DECA Scavenger hunt. Zachary Chase took first place in the Principles of Business Administration Events (written component and two role plays in which the students were given 10 minutes to prepare) Rebecca Buck placed fourth in the Principles of Hospi-tality and Tourism. Carly Goroff received second place in Quick Serve Restaurant Management, which included a written component and two role plays in which the students were given 10 minutes to prepare. Matthew Von Schleusin-gen also placed in the top six. The Team Series events

include a written component, pre-sentation of materials, as well as a team comprehensive assessment in which students were given 30 minutes to prepare. In Hospitality Services:Kyle Foito and Vincent Ciambri-ello placed second and Kathryn Herndon and Corrie MacLean came in third. As for Buying and Mer-chandising, Justin Burke (2013) and Kevin Mott finished in the top six. Every member who re-ceived third place or higher will be advancing to Nationals in Ana-heim, California. Come join the team on April 8th from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. for Dine with DECA at Old Towne Restaurant. Ten percent of every dollar spent will be donated to DECA The team includes Corrie Ma-cLean, Katie Herndon, Rebecca Buck, Matt Von Schleusingen, Zac Chase, Vinny Ciambriello, Carly Goroff. Back row: Todd Manuel, Kyle Foito, Justin Burke, Kevin Mott

Mock trial courts success Left: Mock trial team preparing for competition. Back Row: Pete Veikos, Molly Stewart, Christian DeGenova, Gabby Buttress and Me. Front Row: Jackie Guillen, Kathy Nickson, Kerry Marques and Emily Ruchalski. Photo courtesy of the Trumbull Times.

Right: The Mock Tiral team after the win. Back Row: Christian DeGenova, Gabby Buttress, Molly Stewart, Tom Cole, Joyce Woolen, Kherigan Jones, Mr. August, advisor. Front Row: Pete Veikos, Jackie Guillen, Kerry Marques, Emily Ruchalski, Kathy Nickson.

Far right: Mr. August gives the team a pre-trial speech.

Students compete against other schools making business-related decisions as they compete for scholarships. The team of Jeanette Marini, Michael Garrity, Zack Chase, and Peter Veikos placed third in the Junior Achievement Titan Business Challenge on Fri-day, March 15th. Trumbull High School is the only school that has placed in the top three since this competition began in 2011.

Nothing can compare to winning states on Wednesday, February 27, 2013. As soon as the team heard, “Trumbull Red is the winner,” everyone was overcome with joy and pride. The team had the sat-isfaction of knowing that all the

hard work, dedication, and heart paid off. Being state champions did not come easily to the Mock Trial team, advised by Mr. Eric August. The team put in extra hours, but found support in their advisor and the school. Mr. August transformed the team into champions by con-tinually adding to what we knew

and pushing the team do be the best it could. Together the team made history as the Trumbull high School state champions of the 2012-2013 school year.

Joyce Wollen ‘16EE Special Correspondent

News Brief

Junior class trip to Boston is May 24th, 2013

In the morning, groups visit a variety of college campuses. After lunch students decide on taking a duck tour, visiting the New England Aquarium, touring Fenway Park or reliv-ing the famous Boston Tea Party.

Permission slips available in the house offices.

6 FeaturesThe Eagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

Junior and senior classes give back

Powder puff “three-peat”: Black team wins After last minute practices in the cold and months of anticipation after the original November

game date was postponed due to inclement weather, the stage was set under the lights this Friday, March

15th. The Black and Gold teams met and fought for the coveted powder puff title, a tradition for se-nior girls, which raises money for

Marissa Piccolo ‘13EE Senior Lifestyle Editor

PTSA’s Post Prom. Powder puff football games are exclusively for girls and played using flags instead of tackling. Trum-bull High’s referees adapted the rules so that each team had 12 offensive plays per half. Led by coaches Mr. Labarca and Mr. Uhrlass, and senior football play-ers Ryan Pearson, Wil-liam Polito, and Michael Williams, the Gold team started with the ball and made a statement when running back Taylor Pratcher, also a soccer and track athlete, scored on the first play. Pratcher celebrat-ed by lifting up her jersey to show off her “I Heart To Score” shirt underneath, taunting the Black team as they stepped up to the line losing 3-0. Once the Black team did have the ball of-fensively, however, they countered by putting them-selves up four to three with touchdowns by the end of the first half from Meaghan Gillespie, Gabriella Reg-giano, and Nila Caballero. Gold team worked hard and aggressively to contain Black’s runners, meriting the first and only penalty

when one Black team girl was tackled. Heading into the second half, Black team coaches Mr. August, Mr. McGrath, Ms. Rizza, and student leaders Paul An-gelucci, Ryan Keklik, Dan Paolino were adamant on their tough defense, which prevented the Gold team from creating too large of a margin. When the Black team’s offense got the ball for the final time, they needed to score two touch-downs to win the game. On the last play with the score tied, Meaghan Gillespie was given the ball and ran the ball in 50 yards into the end zone for the win. The Black team, unable to control their excitement, ran to meet Gillespie in the end zone and began bowing down to her and celebrat-ing. “The offense was great and I was confident that they’d help me find a path through and they did. I know people say it’s just powder puff, but it defi-nitely felt like more to me. I think that I will be re-membering that game for a while,” said Gillespie of the victory.

Each year, Cotillion provides an opportunity for upperclassmen and friends to spend the night together at the Waterview. However, what many students do not realize is that in-stead of giving out dance favors and mementos such as picture frames or swag bags during the evening, students use the money for a good cause. The junior and senior class split profits proportionally based on the number of attend-ees from each grade. Every year, part of the money raised goes towards each classes’ fund for prom. Yet, an amount is also donated every year to local charities of the officers choosing. Junior class officers Caroline Drenkard, Jake Levi-son, Elena Mignone, and Hailey Pekara decided on the junior class donation along with the

input of the advisors. The junior class donated $400 to the Ameri-can Cancer Society, Norwalk branch. “We all officially agreed on donating $400 to the Ameri-can cancer society because 1) we are all touched by this disease whether it may be someone we personally know going through the pain, 2) it is a great cause to donate to, and 3) we would like to do whatever it takes to help,” said Elena Mignone. This year, senior class officers Chris LoBosco, John Watts, Marissa Piccolo, and Emily Doris and advisors Mrs. Yerina and Mr. Matthews donated a total of $250 to Swim Across the Sound and $250 to Operation Smile for a total of $500. Swim Across the Sound is a charity that runs in cooperation with St. Vincent’s Medical Cen-ter, and provides cancer educa-tion, screening, and prevention programs. Operation Smile is

Marissa Piccolo ‘13EE Senior Lifestyle Editor

another charity, which offers constructive surgery and medical care for children born with cleft lips and palates, allowing them to eat, speak, socialize, and smile. When asked about her role in the donation, treasurer Emily Doris summed it up with, “As a senior class, we know we set an example for the school and giving back is an important aspect of that.”

All images courtesy of google im-ages.

7LifestyleThe Eagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

For designers, making high-end clothing exclusive is no longer feasible, in light of the many financial issues that Ameri-cans face. In recent months, Target and H&M have partnered with high-end designers and cloth-ing stores to provide what most women want: a high quality, name-brand piece, but, at a low price. For the holiday season, Target paired with Neiman and Mar-cus – a luxury department store that offers designs from Marc Jacobs, Marchesa, Oscar de la Renta, and Alice + Oliva. Simi-larly, H&M scored a partnership with Maison Martin Margiela, a brand known for having luxurious pieces but, at a high price. The result fits the look of the aver-age H&M customer, an edgy woman who is not afraid to try new things. Though t he concept sounds flaw-less, there have been complaints. Prices, to begin with are supposed to be affordable for all middle-class women. However, prices at the H&M collaboration start at $30 and go up to $400! While this may seem like a steal to the high-end designers, to mothers that still

have to pay for gas, it is just the opposite. Moreover, there has been talk of substandard quality. People question if the quality of the gar-ment has been sacrificed in order to make it more affordable, and if that the item can be found at the same price at a department store. While some prefer the thrill of finding brand name at a consignment or thrift store, others think that if they want to spend that kind of money, they can just go to a luxury depart-ment store and have more options.There is often a tradeoff be-tween brand, qua l i ty, and price. The customer must de-cide the importance these things have on their personal style.

Department store collaborations

Keri Crossley ‘15EE Staff Writer

Durability of utilitarian trends Investing in something that will last is always the smart thing to do. Trumbull High School has comfortably adapted to the current trend of durable, time-less, and quality pieces that can be paired with virtually any style. Sperrys, Toms, and Hunter rain boots have all been seen as ‘staple pieces’ for any Trumbull High School girl. Designed by Paul Sper-ry, the show brand was made to be worn on boats, meaning it had to be equipped with gripping, wa-terproofing, and flexibility. Today, the shoes range from $85-$195 depending on the colors, style, and any other stylish add-ons such as sequin or metallic accents. Girls today use the shoe style to create an effortlessly chic summer outfit to take them from school to the beach. According to sophomore Jen Gomes, “Sperrys are prob-ably the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. I wear them all the time; even in the winter.

They don’t easily get wet and are extremely cute to wear with every outfit.” These shoes are known for their durability regardless of the conditions that they are worn in. People have been known to jump into lakes with their Sper-rys on summer after summer and still have the same, immaculate

shoes. Similarly following this trend, Toms have been recognized as one of the most charitable brands to date. The brand motto, “One for One,” explains the idea behind investing in these slip-on, cushioned shoes: for every pair of shoes bought, another one is

Keri Crossley ‘15EE Staff Writer

Celebrities embrace the comfort and durability that Hunter Boots and Toms have to offer. These can be paired with outfits that range from the most casual to the most deliberated and red carpet-ready.Photos courtesy of blogspot.com (left) and blueskyperspectives.com (right).

In an era that is full of social networking, blogging is just one more addition to the multitude of ways one is now able to express themselves. Fashion blogging in particular has experienced a rapid growth in the past year. One of my personal favorites, trashtocouture.com, shows ways of reinventing items that would normally be discarded. I had the pleasure of being able to interview the women behind all the magic, Laura, to gain some insight.Me: Who/What inspired you to start your blog?Laura: I always wanted to start a website since I was making things constantly and figured I might as well share them or at least keep a look book of everything I’ve made. Me: Where do you get ideas/inspiration to revamp a piece of clothing a certain way?L: I get a lot of my ideas from the fabrics regardless of the silhouette. I also look for ideas from what people are wearing to vintage pat-terns. You just got to make it yours. Me: What is a typical day for you like?L: People must think I sew in a lovely design studio all day, but that is not reality. Sewing is actu-ally a small fraction of my life.

I have 2 little boys and my day revolves around them. I find time here and there to do projects. It’s a tough balance between my ambi-tions and family but I make it work. Me: What are some ways that girls can incorporate the technique of making old thing seem new into an everyday outfit?L: I encourage girls to look at the old and see what it can become rather than the trash that it may be.

given away to a child in need. Toms come in every color and type of fabric imaginable and are definitely worth the investment. They provide support and protec-tion while also feeling light and looking stylish. However, adds Jen Gomes, “Toms are more likely to

get ruined in the rain and are not as cute as Sperrys.” These are the perfect shoes to wear in warmer months to carry a look from day to night. With a multitude of styles and fabrics available, Toms have proven to be a great addition for warm, dry day outfit. Hunter rain boots origi-nate from the U.K. They were once distributed to soldiers in WWI and WWII, and had happy customers ranging from the rich to the farm-ers. The price for your average knee-high colored pair goes for $135. With cheaper alternatives available, the question is, why choose this brand? They have been known to be some of the sturdiest boots on the market and can come in tall sizes, guaranteeing the cus-tomer will not get their feet wet. Celebrities such as Kate Moss have been seen wearing these versatile boots on both rainy and sunny days. These boots are known for their ability to do their job by keeping your feet dry while also allowing personal style to be shown through a variety of colors.

Keri Crossley ‘15EE Staff Writer

Trashtocouture.comFor example, that old t-shirt can become an awesome bandeau for summer. Maybe adding a weaved back will change the dull into cool. Me: What do you say to girls want-ing to start their own blogs?L: Blogging is a fun way to express your creativity whether you have viewers or not. Think of it as an online scrapbook of the things that interest you.

trashtocouture.com blogger Lau-ra knows how to transform old pieces into cute new finds.

Clockwise from above: DIY Tie-Dye Shirt, Embellished sweater and DIY zipper sweater.

All photos courtesy of trashto-couture.com

Neiman Marcus and Target’s campaign, above, has been popular. Photo courtesy of homestoriesatoz.com

Lifestyle 8Keri Crossley ‘15EE Staff Writer

The Eagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

Paulina Howard ‘15EE Staff Writer

Making high-end clothes available to the aver-age consumer is a goal that all designer want to accomplish. Exclusiveness is no longer feasible, in light of the many longstanding issues that Ameri-cans face. In recent months, Target and H&M have partnered with high-end designers and clothing stores to provide what most women want: a high qual-ity, name-brand piece, but, at a low price. For the holiday season, Target paired with Neiman and Marcus – a luxury department store that offers designs from Marc Jacobs, Marchesa, Oscar de la Renta, and Alice + Oliva. This collaboration means that Target will able to have cloth-ing and accessories from over twenty-four top designers. Each brand is able to send one to three items that would be priced

at a much more affordable level. Similarly, H&M scored a part-nership with Maison Martin Mar-giela, a brand known for having luxurious pieces but, at a high price. Customers jumped on the idea of having looks that seem as if they could have come straight off the runway. The result fits the look of the average H&M customer, an edgy woman who is not afraid to try new things. Though the concept sounds flawless, there are a few that people have recently been complaining about. Prices, to begin with are supposed to be affordable for all middle-class women. However, prices at the H&M collaboration start at $30 and go up to $400! While this may seem like a steal to the high-end designers, to mothers that still have to pay for gas, it is just the opposite. Moreover, there has been talk of substandard quality. People question if the quality of the garment has been sacrificed in order to make it

more affordable. And if so, could the store have gone to another brand to get better quality at an equal or lesser price? One final downside is the fact that the item can be found at the same price at a department store, or afford-able clothing store. While some people prefer the thrill of finding something brand name at a con-signment or thrift store, others think that if they want to spend that kind of money, they can just go to a luxury department store and have more options. Having name-brand clothing available at lesser cost in closer locations can be helpful to the average consumer or in some situations, a rip-off. It is key to think about if something is really worth the price. There is often a trade off between brand, quality, and price. The customer must decide the importance these things have on their personal style.

Designers in department stores

Is YouTube the new Sephora? Look around. Stu-dents clad in UGGs, frumpy sweats, North Faces, and skin tight leggings dominate the student population. Where is the individuality? The sense of style? Trumbull High School is in desperate need of some style education from girls our own age. Beauty gurus on YouTube have been teaching others ways to embrace and define their personal style, and to find the confidence to stand out from the rest of the student body. There are many different YouTubers to watch, some with down to Earth personalities, and others that are condescending and annoying to sit and listen to. Thus, it is hard to be committed to learning tips and tricks if you cannot sit still and listen to them for 10 minutes or so. With many years of comb-ing through the fashion don’ts

and the nails-on-chalkboard voices, and with harsh critiques, here are the top three YouTubers to watch in order to help shape and form your own individual style. Number three on the list is TheFashionCitizen. Hosted by twin sisters, Melissa and Stephanie these girls are one in the same; however, their diverse style is what sets them apart. If you are on a tight budget, while in search of transforming your wardrobe, these are the girls for you to watch. Melissa’s style is a lot more vintage and girly, which is a stark contrast from her sister Stephanie who dresses more rocker chic. Every week or so, the girls go to thrift store shop-ping, and they teach you how to get more for your money, and how to even DIY old items and make them more current! Stay tuned because they post outfit videos each week so it is great inspiration!

The second YouTube channel to watch is LetsMak-eItUp1, which is not a fashion channel at all. In fact, it focuses on hair, which arguably is a key part to any outfit. From artful chignons, twisted braids, and the shockingly numerous ways you can curl your hair, YouTuber Kaley covers it all. She is very easy to understand and she cov-ers all of the steps to reach your desired ‘do. Who knows, maybe you will be doing your hair for prom? Last but certainly not least, the best YouTube channel to watch is Macbarbie07, aka Bethany. Being a regular high school girl makes her easily liked, and relatable. With an easy, cute, and casual style, Beth-any certainly can inspire most girls at THS. She even does DIY projects for fashion and bedroom design. She blogs, does makeup videos, and is even sponsored by high end brands. This girl

knows her stuff, and updates her YouTube channel every week (sometimes even more!). When students were asked about fashion at THS, Ashley Hennequin, a THS sophomore, stated, “ I feel like there is a mix of trends at THS; however, you can easily tell what is popular and what is not.” One of the trends that are much hated include UGGs, according to sophomore Rachel Hogan be-cause “…they are not practical…I have never owned a pair in my life. THS is not completely sentenced to fashion hell though. Senior Jenna Tetu, who graduat-ed early this year, was part of the small percentage of the student body who cares about the image that she projects. According to Jenna, “The best accessory a girl can have is any sort of head-piece. A cute patterned headband, a sun hat, a fedora, clips, or any of that sort. They are so small

and cute…you can do so much with hair accessories to complete your outfit.” There you go THS, from one of your very own! To leave you with some lasting advice, again, Jenna gives some advice to help fix the fashion rut we have here at THS, “I think girls at THS need to step out of the same section of Forever 21 and try something new for once. I see a lot of rep-etition of boring outfits of girls in ‘solos,’ a tight shirt and a zip up. Most people look like clones of each other. Your style and how you dress is so important for you. I think girls should really try and be more individual with their clothing and find their own styles regardless of their friend group.” Brush up on some style tricks by tuning into these YouTube channels and find the spark of creativity in you!

MacBarbie07 filiming a new beauty haul of her springtime makeup essentialsPhtoto courtesy of www.coverbygracerebel.blogspot.com

The FashionCitizens sisters, Stephanie and Melissa , showing their drastically different styles. Photo courtesy of www.17.com.my

Kaley from LetsMakeItUp1 showing off one of her sig-nature styles that was inspried from a red carpet look.Photo courtsey of www.youtube.com/letsmakeitup1

A countdown to the release of the highly-anticipated Maison Martin Margiela partnership.

Photo courtesy of: blog.sfgate.com

Neiman-Marcus paired with Target during the 2012 holiday season to provide high-end gifts at low costs.

Entertainment 9

Molly Denstedt ‘16EE Staff Writer

The Eagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

Molly Denstedt ‘16EE Staff Writer

Off the beat: the 2013 Grammys

Foster the People’s lyrical message

Judging one another has become a daily task in society nowadays. In May 2011, an indie rock group, Foster the People, released their debut album, Torches, with a very touching song on it called “Call It What You Want.” Foster the People is an unique band who sends different life messages throughout their songs. They have a very different style of music than most pop bands and singers. Their funky beats give off good vibes to their fans. The song “Call It What You Want”, is clearly written about how society makes people self conscious about themselves. “Yeah we’re locked up in ideas, we like to label every-thing,” is one of the few lyrics that show the message Foster the People send out to their audi-ences. When they say label, they

mean names such as the goths, the jocks, the divas and so on. Mark Foster, the lead singer, is very passionate about how he believes we all should be free. Society pressures us to be some-one who we aren’t. “You say, ‘Now what’s your style and who do you listen to?’ Who cares?” Clearly, the band is trying to signal towards their fans to enjoy and do what they believe in.Mark Foster was an average teen. Unfortunately, Mark Foster was pressured from society into doing drugs. He thought it would make him cool and fit in with others. Luckily, he was able to end his addiction. This song shows his realization and what the effect society can do. In Mark Foster’s case, society can pressure you harmfully. Don’t try to satisfy others- satisfy yourself. Foster the People is a very down to earth band. They truly speak from their heart. They incor-porate catchy tunes that grabs

audiences attention. Their genre, indie rock, is very different. Out of 1, being awful, to 10, being outstanding, I give this song an 8. It is definitely one of my favorite songs. It speaks the truth about society.“Call It What You Want” is an amazing song that has an outstanding beat and teaches a heartwarming lesson.

On February 10th, the 55th Grammys were hosted by LL Cool J. On this special evening, various artists gathered together in their tuxedos and ball gowns and waited in suspense for each award to be announced. Both artists and viewers witnessed several enjoyable performances and heartwarming speeches. One of the most popular awards, Song of the Year, was presented to the fun.’s “We Are Young.” Many people expected “The A Team” by Ed Sheeran to win, but were surprised once “We Are Young” won. “I think ‘The A Team’ by Ed Sheeran should have won Song of the Year because ‘We Are Young’ is repetitive and annoying after you hear it so many times,” said Kyri Marinos, a Trumbull High School freshman. Mumford and Son’s album, Babel, won Album of the Year and people were pleased

that Mumford and Son’s won. “I am happy Mumford and Son’s won Album of the Year. I really like their music and I really like how different their voices and beats are compared to the artists played on the radios today,” said Jen Becker, a Trum-bull High School freshman. Numerous performanc-es were carried out. Artists such as Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, and Taylor Swift sang. In addi-tion, outstanding duets were per-formed. Alicia Keys and Adam Levine, Maroon 5’s lead singer, did a duet of Alicia’s hit, “Girl on Fire.” In the duet, Alicia shocked the audience with her ability to play the drums. Her distinc-tive voice and ability to play the drums combined with Adam’s striking vocal sound created a breathtaking duet. Justin Timberlake made a comeback with an unforgettable 1950s themed performance. His voice was still as extraordinary as it was five years ago. The world also watched as Justin and rapper, Jay-Z, performed their new hit

single “Suit & Tie.” Justin did not fail to leave a memorable act with his charming looks and enchant-ing voice. America’s sweetheart, Taylor Swift, performed early that night. However, many viewers were not pleased with her act. Taylor Swift, a country singer known for singing about all her past relationships, sang about her ex-boyfriend, Harry Styles from One Direction. During one part in the song, Taylor mocked her ex-boyfriend in a British accent beg-ging for her back. Jen Becker said “I think it was really immature of her because he did nothing to hurt her as far as we know. She should not display her problems out in the public and get social media involved.” People were disappointed that a 23-year-old could still act so immature. McKenna Mase, a Saint Joseph’s freshman, said, “I thought the Grammy’s went very well. They entertained me and overall summed up the past years music.” This year the awards not

only left the audience, but the nominees in suspense because all of the artists had astounding

musical talent.

Carrie Underwood, Fun., Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, and Taylor Swift were only a few of the artists who performed at the Grammys. Photos courtesy of idolater.com and buzzsugar.com.

Interview with Nicholas Sparks

This past month Nicho-las Sparks came to Sacred Heart University. Nicholas Sparks was born in Omaha, Nebraska. For college he attended University of Notre Dame. His whole life he thought that he was going to go to the Olympics for track and field. To this day he still holds the track record at Notre Dame. Sparks had to stop running be-cause of an injury. During a meet and greet before hand, I was able to get my book signed and ask him a few questions. Sparks said “Life inspires me,” when asked how he thought of his ideas for writing these books?” After the meet and greet with Nicholas Sparks, partici-pants went to the lecture hall to hear him speak. Sparks addressed numerous topics.

In 1992, Sparks began selling pharmaceuticals and in 1993 was transferred to Wash-ington, D.C. It was there that he wrote another novel in his spare time, The Notebook. One thing that he told the audience was that The Notebook was about his wife’s grandparents. Two years after com-pleting The Notebook he was dis-covered by literary agent Theresa Park, who picked The Notebook out of her agency's slush pile, liked it, and offered to represent him. In October 1995, Park secured a $1 million advance for The Notebook from Time Warner Book Groups. The novel was published in October 1996 and made the New York Times best-seller list in its first week of release. He also noted that it takes him about six months to really finish the book.

Kristine Paz ‘15EE Staff Writer

Picture courtesy of last.fm

10 EntertainmentThe Elagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

Lauren Ciulla ‘16EE Staff Writer

Lauren Ciulla ‘14EE Staff Writer

Ticket Wars Perched comfortably at the top of the charts are artists like One Direction and Justin Bieber. The constantly growing fan bases are fed up with the notorious struggle faced when trying to acquire tick-ets to any of these popular acts’ shows. Ticketmaster’s dreaded “Sorry, no exact matches were found, but other tickets may still be available” is becoming more and more prevalent due to scalp-ing, or the reselling of tickets. The anticipation and nervous-ness of buying concert tickets can occupy one’s emotions for days until it is time to hit the purchase button. Will I get good seats? Will I get seats at all? With bands as in-demand as One Direction, this moment can either be elating or crushing, however the latter op-tion is more prevalent.

Some of the shows on One Direction’s Take Me Home Tour were sold out in under ten seconds. This band sold out the famously huge Madison Square Garden seconds after the tickets went on

sale. This is amazing, however it is not fans that the tickets are usu-ally going to. Scalper websites like Stub-hub and AllGoodSeats purchase the tickets before fans can, and then they sell them for triple the price. Lauren Tavella, a senior at Trumbull High, claims, “Stubhub is definitely given tickets by Tick-etmaster. They are sold at crazy prices, which is apparently legal.” Lauren makes a good point. Isn’t scalping illegal? In many states, Connecticut included, scalping tickets is illegal. However, other states follow a law that allows websites like StubHub. These websites enable scalpers to sell their tickets for whatever price they choose. Front row seats have passed the five-digit mark! While these websites are prevalent, there are always the old-fashioned street scalpers. At One Direction’s show at Mohegan Sun

in November, the premises were flooded with sketchy, hunched over men trying to sell their tickets. One claimed, “I’ve got security cameras on me all night, let’s make this quick.” Scalpers know what they are doing is wrong. However, the profit made by reselling tickets is colos-sal. Furthermore, Stubhub receives 20-25% of the commission. Fans are willing to pay insane prices to see their favorite bands, however the cost is an obstacle for some. Trumbull resident Ariana Rojas is fed up with Stubhub’s monstrous prices. “It’s ridiculous that they sell the tickets for insane prices. If you buy the tickets for cheap, then sell them for cheap! Stop ruining the chances for fans to see their favorite bands.” Ariana makes a fair point. Fans in tight financial positions are not going to be able to come up with three hundred dollars for a seat in

Alex Gaskarth, the lead vocal-ist and guitarist in All Time Low, has written songs that have saved countless lives with their inspir-ing lyrics. All Time Low is a pop punk band that was formed in a suburb near Baltimore, Maryland in 2003. Other members of this American band include Jack Barakat, Rian Dawson, and Zack Merrick. “Lullabies,” written by Gaskarth, is off of All Time Low’s debut studio album, The Party Scene. This song holds a special place in the lead singer’s heart. “Lullabies” appears on another EP called Put Up or Shut Up, released while the band was in their senior year of high school. Gaskarth was writing passionate, catchy, and well-organized songs at an age where most would be attending mindless parties just to waste time. If I am able to release a song as meaningful and well-put-together as “Lullabies” by the time I finish high school, I would consider that a success.

“Lullabies” was written about the untimely death of Alex Gas-karth’s brother. Severe alcohol-ism ended his life when younger sibling Alex was at the age of just twelve. This addiction did to the Gaskarth family what it does in any case: hurt all who were in-volved. Lyrics like, “Scream to be heard, like you needed any more attention; throw the bottle, break the door and disappear” illustrate the pain and chaos this family was put through. In a later verse, Alex sings, “Don’t you realize you shot this family a world full of pain? Can’t you see there was

a happy ending we let go?” This song is packed with meaning and emotion. While performing this song at Warped Tour in 2007, Alex paused to shed a few tears. Not only are the lyrics sentimental, but the musical aspects of “Lullabies” exceed expectations as well. It opens slowly and soft, then erupts into a louder and more passionate melody. It is hard not to belt out the chorus along with your iPod, and the intricate drum and guitar playing is incredible. “Lullabies” slows down once more at the end of the song in almost a chant of the beginning of the chorus: “Sing me to sleep,” and breaks out into its final chorus. “Lullabies” is bursting at its seams with raw emotion and passion, depicting the effects that alcoholism can have on an entire family. Other works by All Time Low share the same level of greatness. Songs like “Therapy,” “Remembering Sunday,” and many more contain lyrics that can help a listener through hard times. “Lullabies” is definitely worth a listen, especially if you can relate to Alex’s situation. This song, al-bum, and band all deserve a 10/10 in the music department.

“Lullabies”tells the storyof a brother’s untimely death

the last row. Lauren Tavella com-mented, “Bands like One Direction should have a way of ensuring that fans are getting their tickets, like a fan club that you have to pay to be a part of.” Lauren’s idea makes good sense. The band All Time Low has a fan club that costs about twenty-five dollars to enter. This fan club of-fers presales and preferred seating. Another benefit is that both a name and user name must be entered at the time of purchase. This limits scalping possibilities, especially considering a photo ID must match up to the name at the concert. Fan clubs would certainly re-duce the amount of scalping, and they would give true fans a bet-ter chance to get tickets. Until a drastic solution can be made that will eliminate scalping completely, these organizations would be a beneficial addition.

Various One Direction TicketsPhoto courtesy of Lauren Ciulla

Above: Founding members of All Time low include Rian Dawson, Zack Merrick, Alex Gaskarth, and Jack Barakat. Photo courtesy of Google images.

Left: Alex Gaskarth performing in Hartford, Connecticut. Photo courtesy of Lauren Ciulla.

Sports 11

Christopher Rzasa ‘14Andrew Ameer ‘13EE Sports Editor and Writer

The Eagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

The Trumbull Eagles baseball team is looking for-ward to another strong season. After winning the 2012 FCIAC Championship last year against Greenwich 7-1, sadly their sea-son ended in the first round of state playoffs against Stamford in a 4-3 loss. “We have something to prove this year and to live up to expectations,” said senior Matt VonSchleusingen, second base-man.

Trumbull Eagles baseball 2013 preview

Trumbull will have ten returning players from last year’s team, which will definitely help them keep up their winning ways. Last year’s success was somewhat of a surprise consider-ing, that previous year they man-aged to go 11-13. So the question is, will they be able to keep up their success from last year? When asked what the team must do to remain success-ful, VonSchleusingen said, “Have the same mentality as last year and keep working hard for future goals. Don’t focus on the past,

though we were very successful.” Coach Phil Pacelli will have to be able to replace nine players who graduated last year. The Eagles be-gin the 2013 season on April 3rd at Masuk, and their home opener is on April 8th against New Canaan. Make sure you come out to support the team and their attempt to repeat as FCIAC Champions and hope-fully State Champion!

Second baseman Brandon Liscinsky makes the play against Staples.Photo courtesy of stamfordadvocate.com

Alyssa Breunig ‘16EE Staff Writer

Kings of the court Both teams, the East and West, entered the court deter-mined to claim the 2013 NBA All Star Game title. The NBA All Star Game consists of the best players from the Eastern Conference perform-ing against the best players in the Western Conference. Through the complaining, sweat, and fouls, the West left Houston once again with the win. While close to 75% of people surveyed at Trumbull High School voted for the East to grasp victory, they were sadly let down with the final score of 138 to 143. “The West played the best, so they deserved the best,” said Justin Waldek, a freshman at Trumbull High School. Many people concur with Waldek’s opinion, but most of them originally assumed the

East would triumph. Unfortu-nately, spectators noted the East did not sincerely try until the 4th quarter and the West deserved the win. Individual players were also honored. Chris Paul was voted MVP of the All Star Game for his 15 assists, 4 steals, and 20 points. He was one of the few elite players who proved himself during the game. “Any player that has 15 assists deserves MVP hands down.” Alex Recker a freshman at Trumbull High stated. Fans surveyed agreed. Paul played well and clearly should have received the title. Other players who contributed to game were Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James, and Dwyane Wade. All of those play-ers provided many points for the team and played their best to try and leave with the trophy in their

hands. In addition to players, the talk about the Los Angeles Laker’s own Kobe Bryant play-ing phenomenally against Miami Heat’s Lebron James. Kobe played excellent defense on Leb-ron in the 4th quarter. “Yes I do agree Kobe totally shut down Lebron not only did he stuff him twice, but he is just an overall better player than him.” Justin Waldek said, putting the competition in per-spective. However, Andrew Ameer, a senior at Trumbull High offered a differing opin-ion. “No he only had two good plays.” In addition to the All Star Game, there was the Rising Stars Game, Dunk Contest, and Three Point Contest. The winner of the three point contest was the second year player from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie

Irving. In addition, the winner of the Dunk Contest was the Toronto Raptor’s Terrence Ross. “Terrence Ross was an animal and definitely deserved it. He had the highest skilled dunks without a doubt.” Coach Bray, the boys varsity basketball coach at THS explained. Terrence Ross competed in the final round against Utah Jazz’s Jeremy Evans. They both had impressive dunks, but Ter-rence Ross just pulled the crowd in with his final dunk. Lastly, how could anyone forget about the BBVA Rising Stars game? Every year, it is Team Shaq against Team Chuck. The former NBA player, Shaquille O’Neal, coaches Team Shaq against the former NBA player, Charles Bar-kley, who coaches Team Chuck. The final score was Team Shaq with 135 and Team Chuck with 163. Coming from Team Chuck it was a big night

for the seven foot power forward from the Denver Nuggets Ken-neth Faried as he was proudly named Rookie of the Year.

Jesse Rubinstein ‘14EE Senior Sports Editor

More than 400 Con-necticut residents formed a tun-nel for the New York Giants to run through at Metlife stadium. On their final home game of the season, the Giants paid tribute to Sandy Hook Elementary School. Among these people were over 200 young students hailing from Newtown, Connecticut. About two weeks fol-lowing the tragedy, families, friends, and neighbors were given tickets directly from the Giants to their Sunday game. As they entered the field, they were

New York Giants tribute to Sandy Hooktreated with outstanding respect by the players. Numerous high-fives, handshakes, and hugs were given on the joyous occasion. The group of New-town residents, the Philadel-phia Eagles, and the New York Giants then made an enormous ring around the field, all hands conjoined. This continued for the duration of the National Anthem. At this moment, all emotions were flowing to the largest amount. Many tears were shed by residents, as well as athletes, surprisingly. Upon returning home from their away game in Atlanta, star wide receiver of the Giants,

paid a visit to the family of one of the slain children, Jack Pinto. Jack, being Cruz’s number one fan, was buried in his jersey. Cruz told report-ers afterward, “It was a very emotional time for all involved. “We wanted to play for them, put a victory on board for them, and put a smile on their faces.” Clearly, Cruz was true to his expectations.

Giants write “S.H.E.S” on their helmets in tribute of Sandy Hook Elementary SchoolPhoto courtesy of nydailynews.com

Paul George (24) goes for the shot as Tim Duncan (21) defends himPhoto courtesy of undergroundsoles.com

Fleagle’s Fly12

Keri Crossley ‘15EE Staff Writer

The Eagle’s Eye April 1, 2013 Issue 4

Brittany Kubicko ‘15EE Senior Features Editor

On the Stairs to Nowhere

Daniels Farm Road Dilemma Lucy Whitney, a sophomore, is sitting on the bus listening to her music after a long day of tests, homework and annoying teachers. She collects her thoughts and daydreams about her weekend plans and soon realizes that she has already listened to five songs in a row and the bus still has not budged from its place right in the middle of Strobel Road mayhem. This exact experience is what at least 60% of all Trum-bull High students have to put up with on a daily basis. When making the transition between middle school and high school the thought of leaving school

five minutes earlier seems like the greatest thing in the world, at the time. However, once in the midst of the single handed most stressful place, you understand that those five minutes are wast-ed as you sit, waiting to finally move into traffic jam on Daniels Farm Road. The stationed police officer allows all Hillcrest buses to leave while the row of buses extending down Strobel impa-tiently waits. Every teenagers dream is to sit with someone whom they most likely do not know for what seems like hours, just to get home and begin the hours of assigned homework. In an ideal world, buses would be lined up according to

which direction they were head-ing and how far away their stops are. This would prevent having to wait behind a bus as they stop three times on the same street. Hillcrest student would no longer be let out a mere five minutes but instead continue their day until 2:45, allowing ample time for bus evacuation. Lucy Whitney states that, “the buses are the one thing that makes this school so annoy-ing, if we could just make some small adjustments it would make huge improvements.” Administrators need to sit down and realize that school is no longer just about academics but also the experience and stu-dents opinions about the system. The end of the day is known as being the most hectic time and

small improvements can make big improvements.

Yay, its lunchtime! You’re really excited to chat with your friends about the latest THS gossip and devour that ham and cheese sandwich Mom made you for lunch this morning. The only thing that separates you from ultimate happiness is a trip to your locker in upper C hall, using the staircase... However, once your little eyes hit the millions of stairs that separates the two floors of Trumbull High, your mind goes blank. That wide grin that encroached on your face moments ago turns to sorrow, and you become brainwashed into thinking that everything in your life is glum. After you climb those stairs, you thought that you would be your bubbly, giddy self, but instead you are going crazy thanks to the stark, plastered white walls along the stairs. Over the past couple of months, situations like this have been happening at Trumbull High, where students and teachers go crazy once they leave the staircases. Why is this happening? Why is the mental state of the people in THS go-ing into a downward spiral? It all started after Winter Break. Everyone was excited to get back to school to tell their friends about their happenings, but, instead they are welcomed by plastered white walls along the stairs. This is where the change

started, and it’s been going on ever since. This craziness has even reached the nurses. “I’ve gotten over 100 cases ever since school has been in session in January,” says one of the nurses, who does not want to be named for privacy reasons. “It has been hectic because at least ten people are coming here with cases like this, and I don’t know what to do with them. So, it’s been hard.” Stairwell downward spiral is not an easy diagnosis to make or an easy disease to cure. Once someone is diagnosed with it, they have to stay home for at least a week to get rest. Most people are back in school a week after diagnosis, but some people don’t come back until a month afterwards. “I was diagnosed with stairwell downward spiral during the first week back from school,” junior Melissa McGuire says. “Those white walls totally got me. I fainted on the staircase, and before I knew it, I was home, in my bed, taking medication. It was the worst three weeks of my life, sitting in bed for being on a downward spiral.” The worst case in the school happened to a sophomore, who was out of school for two and a half months due to the staircases. He is currently doing fine, but according to outside sources (aka his parents), his balance has been off and he is currently in therapy. Cases like this are get-ting serious that many people are encouraging the principal to get rid of the white walls for the

student and teacher’s safety. “NEASC is coming really soon,” the principal stated in a recent interview, “and we want to really impress them by showing off our school colors. Our school colors are black, yellow, and white, and the con-struction committee and I both agree that white staircases would be the perfect addition to the school. We didn’t expect that the campus would begin to spiral with the white painted staircases, but we cannot focus on it right now. Bettering our school comes first, and then our campuses

people come second, so the white staircases are staying for now.” Where’s the color? Where’s the brightness and op-timism that the school is lacking due to this ongoing construction? What Trumbull High needs is color. Having some color will make everyone happy to come to THS every day, and it will give the campus a new light, which has been lacking for many years. So what is it Trumbull High? You want the stairs to look washed out or do you want your staircases to make you feel happy? You decide.

The B-House stairwell by door eight was recently painted. Contributed photo.